Open hearth tap hole repairing form



Dec. 12, 1961 R. J. DEMAlsoN 3,012,299

OPEN HEARTH TAP HOLE REPAIRING FORM Filed Aug. 20, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Dec. 12, 1961 R. J. DEMAlsoN OPEN HEARTH TAP HOLE REPAIRING FORM 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20. 1959 @TLP ' BY may W AT De 12, 1961 R. J.DEMAxsoN OPEN HEARTH TAP HOLE REPAIRING FORM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug.2O. 1959 lNvEN-roR f? @EMA/50N A oRNEY 1 nted States Patent l 3,012,299OPEN Irl'EARTI-I TAP HOLE REPAIRWG FRM Raymond J. Demaison, Bronx, N.Y.,assignor to Quigley Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Aug.29, 1959, Ser. No. 835,114 7 Claims. (Cl. 25-118) This invention relatesto a new and novel flexible form for use in repairing refractory aroundthe tap hole of an open hearth furnace.

In the normal open hearth furnace, the ta-p hole is lined A supportingbrackets which are used to support the re- K fractory lined trough fordrawing o the molten metal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible form whichmay be mounted over the spalled tap hole area and not only serves as aflexible form for confining the refractory as it is rammed or sprayedinto place but in addition serves to position and support the new taphole pipe in the open hearth furnace wall.

A more specic object is to provide a flexible form which will conform tothe spalled contour of the outside furnace wall and be held in place bymeans of a suitable jack or jacks from the platform edge or from a pipelaid across between the two brackets, normally used to support thetrough for pouring and tapping the molten metal and thus serve both toposition the pipe in the tap hole and to support and confine therefractory material as it is put in place.

A brief description of the invention is hereby given in order to allow abetter understanding of just how the flexible form is constructed andwhat it accomplishes. One of the problems that is encountered in therepair of tap holes in open hearth yfurnaces is the unevenness of theexterior walls in the Vicinity of the tap holes due to the extreme heatto which the refractory in the vicinity thereof is subjected, resultingin spalling. It is therefore impossible to use a flat plate withoutfirst plugging up the outer contour of the furnace wall in order to sealthe edges of the plate against leakage of the refractory. It was withthese difficulties in mind that the present invention was conceived.

The flexible form of this invention consists of a suitable flat metalframe of suitable shape and size in which is mounted by means of flatmetal springs a central flat metal plate containing a hole for holdingand positioning the tap hole pipe. The whole of this frame with itsspring mounted center plate is then covered on its furnace mounting sidewith a suitable heat resisting blanket which acts as a form and servesas a seal by fitting into the irregular spalled contours of the face ofthe furnace wall. The heat resisting blanket, being of heavy weight andbeing backed by the springs which support the center plate, makes asmooth contour form that can readily be lled by ramming or spraying andthen removed. The flexible form must be mounted on the spalled area insuch manner as to provide a suitable opening at the top side, or sides Y3,012,299 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of aone piece flexible form;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation taken along the lines 2 2 of FIG l anddiscloses the single placing and retaining means;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a split or two piece adjustableform;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation taken along the lines 4-4 and discloses themultiple placing and retaining means; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of the furnace with the two piece form of FIG. 3mounted in place.

As disclosed in FIGS. l and 2, the flexible form includes an outsideflat metal frame 10 0f suitable shape and size. In this instance, it hasbeen made square but it is possible to change this shape to meetexisting conditions. A metal plate 11, with a suitable hole 12 therein,is mounted on the flat metal frame 10 by means of flat blade springs 13which keep the plate 11 spaced in constant relation to the outside metalframe but allow face- Wise displacement if necessary in order to followthe spalled outside furnace wall contour. The furnace mounting side ofthe metal frame 10 is covered with a high temperature resistant blanket14 composed of one or more layers of heavy woven asbestos cloth or othersuitable mateiial. The outside edge of the entire frame is l thencovered with an additional narrow strip 15 of the near the top, in orderto provide a suitable means for same high temperature resistant materialto furnish a further edge sealing means in order to preclude any leakageof the refractory material. The entire prefabricated adjustable form isthen placed in position by means of a jack 16 with angle clip 17 on itslower end which engages .the outer edge 18 of the furnace platform, anda mounting clip 20 on the plate 11 is engaged by an extension 19 of saidjack 16 to thereby position and support the flexible form in properposition with the tap hole pipe properly placed in the hole 12 thereinas the jack is extended. The jack in this instance is in the form of asuitable turnbuckle. In the mounting of the flexible form on the spalledfurnace Wall, it must be remembered to select a position that will allowan opening at the top or sides into the space behind the flexible formfor the insertion of the refractory material. There is always sulicientleeway in placing the tap hole pipes or by slightly tilting the flexibleform to provide a suitable filling opening. In FIG. 2 the flexible formis shown placed against the furnace wall ready for jacking into placethereon and thus seal and provide a suitable form for retaining andconfining the refractory material in place. The inner face of theblanket 14 will contact the spalled face of the furnace wall at theedges where the spalling has started as the flexible form is jacked inand will thus seal off said space from edge to edge.

As disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4, the adjustable form comprises a flatmetal frame 29 which is split into halves and hinged in the middle at30. A metal plate, split in the middle to provide an upper half 31 and alower half 32, is then mounted on the flat metal frame 29 by means offlat blade springs 33 which keep the plates 31 and 32 spaced in constantrelation to the outside flat metal frame but allow facewise displacementwhere necessary in order to follow the spalled outside wall contour. Incertain instances, if the flexible forms are made too big to use asingle blade spring as shown, the use of multiple-layer leaf springs maybe resorted to or in lieu lthereof a series of flat springs, fabricatedand placed and formed as to cover the entire face of the form, may beresorted to. It will be noted that the plates 31 and 32 are alsoprovided with hinges 34 in line with the frame hinges 30 to permit theform to be folded upon itself for the use of one half at a time. Thefurnace mounting side of the outer metal frame 29 is covered with asuitable high temperature resistant blanket 35 similar to the blanket14. The outside edge of the entire frame is valso covered With anadditional narrow strip 36 of the same high temperature resistantblanket material to furnish a further edge sealing means in order topreclude leakage of the refractory. The entire prefabricated flexibleform is placed in position by means of suitable jacks 37 supported onarod or pipe 33 placed in supporting brackets 39 and locked therein bymeans of clips 40 which prevent said rod` or pipe from being displacedin said brackets. Thejacks 37 in the form of adjustable turn buckles areextended to prop the flexible form against the furnace face by use ofjacking clips 41, one on each section of the central metal plate. Itwill be noted that the ends of the turn buckles are held from turning bythe clips 41 and the rod or pipe 38.

The `split repair form of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be used in its spread orIunfolded condition just as the one-piece form.

Yof FIGS. 2 and 3. However, on occasions it may be desirable to make thetapV hole repairs in two stages, iirst Y in the region below the holeand then the region above= .the hole. In the tap first stage the formwill be separated or folded to bring the top halfdown to layfon the pipesupport 38 and thus present the center plate in position to receive andsupport the tap hole pipe. After therepair in the bottom area has beenmade, the top half of the form may be swung up into its extendedposition (in the plane of the lower half) and the repair in the upperarea then made. The point is that the damage to the tap hole and furnacewall is never too great for the one-piece form with its flexibility andresilience, will always adapt itself to cover the whole area of repair.Here again it must be remembered toplace the exible form in such laposition as to provide an entrance into the void space in back for theinsertion of refractory material.

In FIG. is shown a front view of the complete form of FIGS. 3 andV 4 onthe furnace wall with all the jacks 37 in use and mounted on the pipe orrod 38 laid in the brackets 39 and held therein by clips 40. It will kbenoted that the clips 40 may be tightened -to hold the pipe or rod 38securely in place by use of wing bolts 42.

From the foregoing disclosure it can readily be seen that the inventionis one which has taken cognizance of the v'problems encountered in therepair of tap holes in open hearth furnace. walls and furnishes a quickand easy method of forming said walls in order to provide a means ofretaining the refractory material in said wallY in the vicinity of thetap hole and also hold and locate the pipe in said tap hole. The instantinvention is now being used in some of the steel mills for the repairand replacement of tap holes and has presented no problems in its use orapplication.

It will be understood that there can be various departures in the designof the improved adjustable form without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A flexible resilient form for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes,

' said form comprising an outer metal frame and an inner aperturedVplate, flat blade springs connecting said apertured metal plate to saidouter metal frame, and a exible heat resisting blanket attached to theouter metal yframe and the inner apertured plate and backed-up by thefiat blade springs.

2. A flexible resilient split form for use lin repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes, said forni comprising anouter metal frame made in two hinged sections, and an inner aperturedplate also made in two hinged sections, hat blade springs for connectingthe two sections of the apertured plate to the corresponding sections ofthe outer metal frame, and a flexible heat resisting blanket attached totheV outer metal frame and the inner apertured plate for conforming tothe furnace Wall.

3. A flexible resilient split form for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes according to claim 2wherein the bottom half may be used to repair the lower portion and thenthe upper half brought into use to complete the repairs.

4. A flexible resilient form for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes, according to claim 2wherein the inner apertured split plate and the outer split metal framecontain suitable brackets adapted for engagement with jacks for jackingsaid flexible resilient form in place around said furnace Wall.

5. A flexible resilient form for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace .tap holes, said `form comprising anopen outer metal frame adapted to surround the damaged area of the taphole, a flexible heat resisting blanket attached at its outer edges tosaid frame and covering the opening therein, an inner metal platearranged at the front side of the blanket in the immediate area of thetap hole pipe, and resilient means for connecting said inner plate tosaid outer metal frame to permit a facewise displacement of the platewith reference to the frame and to transmit to the frame a portion ofthe force applied to the plate in effecting its facewise displacement,saidV inner plate and said resilient means restraining the flexibleblanket against forward displacement but permitting the blanket toconform to the damaged area of the tap hole, and said inner plate andflexible blanket being formed with a hole therethrough to accommodateand support the tap hole pipe and permit the form as a whole to bepressed into place around the tap hole by pressure against the innerplate.

6. A flexible resilient vform for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes, said form comprising anouter metal frame and an inner apertured metal plate adapted to beslipped over the tap hole pipe, resilient means for connecting saidapertured plate to said frame, and a flexible heat resisting blanketattached to the outer metal frame and the inner apcrtured plate forconforming to the furnace wall, said inner apertured plate containing asuitable bracket adapted for engagement with a jackfor jacking saidflexible resilient form in place against the furnace Wall.

7. A flexible resilient form for use in repairing the refractorymaterial around open hearth furnace tap holes, said form comprising anouter metal frame and an inner apertured metal plate adapted to beslipped over the tap hole pipe, resilient means for connecting saidapertured plate to said frame, and a iiexible heat resisting blanketattached to the outer metalframe and the inner apertured plate Vforconforming to the furnace Wall, said outer'metal frame being covered atits outside periphery with an additional thickness of heat resistingmaterial to seal the outer side edge of said form.

